The Way Back (Gavin O'Connor)

[Peng]

[Peng]

Even with the unexpected critical praise, the film's promotional material doesn't promise much, and its initial act seems to follow suit with plot points of cliches after cliches being set up rapidly. But I should have trusted Gavin O'Connor with this genre (Miracle is surprisingly sturdy within its preordained plot, and Warrior is my favorite sport film). The Way Back gets more involving as it goes along, the director and Affleck's restraint investing all those cliches with such aching sensitivity as to make them feel... not exactly new, but engagingly life-sized and sincere. And even with its formula in place, the film shrewdly separates its sport film climax from its addiction drama catharsis, arranging them in a way that may seem initially surprising, but also fresh and fitting in retrospect for this tale about what it takes to self-atone and move forward. The final shot is muted for this genre, but lingeringly powerful for the implication of a necessary process beginning. 7.5/10

[Skitch]

Oh this movie. I was hoping to chat the 2010 movie lol